Top Five Ways to Get Your Cut of the Stimulus

A request from a man who wants $120 million to build a golden statue of President Obama was among 9,200 applications from Ohio residents looking for a cut of recent stimulus money. If you're looking for your own cut of the government stimulus money, there's an easier way. Career training can put money in your pocket, no statues required.
Career Training for Stimulus Cash

Indeed, even those complaining about stimulus funds might not object to one of the millions of jobs estimated to be created by the program. Three to four million jobs are expected to be created or maintained by the stimulus package, according to economists Jared Bernstein and Christina Romer.

Which jobs will see the biggest boost, and what can you do to be prepared? Check out just a few of the fields expected to see the biggest boost from stimulus funding. After a short degree or certificate program, you could find yourself reaping the benefits of the government stimulus.
Stimulus Career #1: Construction

New roads, bridges, highways, and other infrastructure elements mean that construction jobs could rise in demand in the coming years. While laborers likely won't need much training beyond what they see on the job, supervisory and management positions could require additional study.

Salary Basics: Construction managers earned mean annual wages of $85,830 in 2007, the BLS reports. Those working for building equipment contractors earned slightly more, at $90,870.

Career Training: A bachelor's degree in construction management, construction science, or civil engineering plus job experience is your best bet.

Stimulus Career #2: Engineering

With all the infrastructure jobs in construction, it should come as no surprise that behind-the-scenes planning, architectural, and engineering jobs will see similar boosts. Aspiring civil engineers should take heart in surplus spending promises towards innovation and infrastructure.

Salary Basics: Civil engineers saw mean annual wages of $75,230 in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Those working for the federal government saw slightly higher wages, at $83,180.

Career Training: A bachelor's degree is required for all but the most basic engineering jobs. Higher level jobs and those in management may require a master's degree.

Stimulus Career #3: Health Care

Partially subsidizing COBRA, the program that allows workers to keep their health care even after they've lost their jobs, means that more people will be insured and going to the doctor, which in turn means more health care jobs across the board.

Salary Basics: Physical therapist assistants saw mean annual wages of $44,340 in 2007, the BLS reports. That same year, medical assistants earned $28,270, medical records technicians earned $31,450 and dental hygienists earned $64,910.

Career Training: Training for health care fields is generally specialized and varies widely. Expect to complete an associate's degree to become a dental hygienist or physical therapist assistant, while some medical assistants need only a certificate or diploma.

Stimulus Career #4: Education

Funding for schools, school buildings, and scholarships means this is a great time to get into teaching at all levels. Look for a particular need in subjects involving languages and technology.

Salary Basics: The BLS notes that middle school teachers earned $50,630 in 2007. That same year, preschool teachers earned $25,800, elementary school teachers earned $50,040, and teacher assistants earned $22,820.

Career Training: A bachelor's degree plus certification is necessary for all school districts across the country. If you already have a bachelor's degree, some school districts allow you to complete alternative training for certification. To work at a preschool or day care center, certification or an associate's degree may be required.

Stimulus Career #5: Green Jobs

One goal of the Obama administration has been to increase the creation and retention of so-called "green jobs," including research, technology, implementation, and upkeep of green technologies like solar power, hybrid vehicles, green buildings, and more.

Salary Basics: Salaries vary widely based on position. Environmental engineers saw mean annual wages of $74,820 in 2007, according to the BLS. That same year, conservation scientists earned $57,220.

Career Training: Training for many technical green jobs could require a bachelor's degree in engineering or similar.

While no career training program can guarantee a particular career or salary, the careers above are expected to see big boosts with stimulus dollars. Look for additional careers in management, business, and communication as the above fields expand, requiring infrastructures of their own.

BNSF CEO receives compensation valued at $14.6M

Burlington Northern CEO Rose receives compensation of $14.6M in '08, up 16 percent from '07

NEW YORK (AP) -- The chief executive of the country's second-largest railroad received total compensation valued at $14.6 million in 2008, a 16 percent increase from the year before, according to a proxy statement filed Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In the filing, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. said Chairman, President and CEO Matthew K. Rose received a base salary of $1.18 million in 2008, up from $1.13 million the year before. He also received a performance-related cash bonus of nearly $1.7 million, compared with $610,720 in 2007.

Rose's perks were valued at $176,013 -- more than double the year before. Perks included travel on a corporate jet for himself and his family, and a tax reimbursement related to that travel. But the biggest chunk of this category was $137,781 for company contributions to Rose's 401(k) and supplemental retirement plans.

He also received $1,606 in above-market returns on compensation he'd set aside with the company. Rose, 49, has served in his current roles since March 2002.

The largest portion of his compensation package -- $11.58 million -- was in the form of stock options and restricted stock. However, the awards have exercise prices of $105.23 and $111.56, about double the company's current stock price. That means the awards are currently of little value absent a substantial rebound in stock price.

The Associated Press formula is designed to isolate the value the company's board placed on the executive's total compensation package during the last fiscal year. It includes salary, bonus, performance-related bonuses, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. The calculations don't include changes in the present value of pension benefits, and they sometimes differ from the totals companies list in the summary compensation table of proxy statements filed with the SEC, which reflect the size of the accounting charge taken for the executive's compensation in the previous fiscal year.

Higher shipping prices and cheaper fuel in the second half of the year drove the Fort Worth, Texas-based railroad's 2008 profit up 16 percent in 2008, despite weaker freight demand. Revenue was $18.02 billion, up 14 percent from the year before.

Burlington Northern's stock lost about 11 percent during the year -- closing the year at $74.53. But shipping demand has fallen off sharply since December, and railroad stocks have taken a beating since. Burlington Northern shares ended Friday at $55.41.

Recently, the company said it doesn't feel that freight demand will get much worse, although it's still unclear when it will get better. The railroad has already furloughed 2,500 workers to account for the lack of shipments. It said it will continue to rein in costs to prepare for a long and deep recession.

25 Random Things About Michael Jackson's Stuff

Short on cash and owing millions on his ranch near Santa Barbara, California, the Gloved One is auctioning off 2,000 personal items next month to raise a little scratch. Here are 25 fascinating facts we discovered while leafing through the sale catalog.

1. Michael Jackson has lots of stuff. More than 2,000 items that once occupied his 2,800-acre Neverland Ranch are being auctioned off on April 22-25 in Beverly Hills. The trove includes many items of clothing, including these gold lamé trousers. You can bid online at AuctionNetwork.com.

2. Jackson hasn't touched this stuff since 2005, when he left Neverland for good after being acquitted of child-molestation charges.

3. The $1.5 million to $3 million that Julien’s Auctions hopes to raise from this auction will be split between MusiCares, a charity, and Jackson himself (with a commission going to the auction house).

4. Julien’s Auctions earned its cut. Late last year, it took 30 moving men more than two months to pack, haul, and move Jackson’s stuff onto 10 semi-trailers.

5. Jackson’s stuff was heavy. "Unfortunately for us, Michael liked marble, stone, and iron—most of it wasn’t easy to transport," said Darren Julien, who will preside over the sale of clothing, jewelry, knickknacks, and Cadillacs.

6. There are no minimum bids on Jackson’s stuff. While Julien’s has provided a low and high estimate of each item’s value as a bidding guideline, you can offer whatever you want.

7. Jackson wears tube socks. Or at least he did 28 years ago. See Item No. 7576, a pair that date to The Jacksons' 1981 Triumph Tour. (Suggested bidding guideline: $600 to $800).

8. Except for a few items that Jackson kept, all the stuff at Neverland—even the front gates to the ranch (left and above, suggested bid: $20,000 to $30,000)—must go. "With somebody like him there is no such thing as a reject pile," Julien said. "There's nothing cheap about Michael Jackson."

9. Jackson's stuff fills a five-volume glossy color catalog (available in a box-set for $100).

10. You can also look at all Jackson's stuff online at JuliensAuctions.com.

11. As a kid, Macaulay Culkin made stuff with Jackson. See Item No. 7678: A pair of canvasses with original works of art by the actor and Jackson, which each signed in black Sharpie. (Bidding guideline: $200 to $300.)

12. This is the first sale that Jackson has sanctioned of his stuff. In 2007, he hired lawyers to try, unsuccessfully, to stop an auction of Jackson family stuff that had been acquired by New Jersey businessman Henry Vaccaro.

13. But, as they say, stuff happens. The cash-strapped singer has piled up more than $24 million in debt. Last November, he finalized a deal to bring the private equity firm Colony Capital LLC on as a joint owner of Neverland, which has been renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch.

14. Plus, the stuff takes up space. Lots of space. "People ask, 'Why is he doing this?" says Julien. "Well, where would you put all this stuff? It's not feasible to put it in storage."

15. Jackson, 50, has never wanted to grow up. See Item No. 5329: painted fiberglass figure of Peter Pan, in three pieces, wrestling with his own shadow. (Suggested bid: $200 to $300.)

16. Jackson's stuff includes a huge collection of children's furniture. Too many items to list.

17. Despite its vast size, the ranch must have felt crowded at times due to Jackson's fondness for lifesize mannequins. See Items No. 5081 (Spider-Man), No. 5140 (Bruce Lee), No. 5475 (Superman), No. 5490 (Boba Fett), No. 5492 (Batman), No. 5577 (Darth Vader, made of Legos), No. 5937 (Elvis), No. 7752 (Egyptianized Pharaoh-like figure of Michael Jackson), and at least eight others—including a lifesize version of Jackson himself in a rubber Batman suit.

18. Darth Vader will cost you. The bidding guideline for the lifesize figure is $6,000 to $8,000. But what a value! "When turned on," the catalog says, "the figure breathes heavily in between reciting eight different lines of dialogue from the film, including 'I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again at last,' 'You have failed me for the last time,' 'He will join us or die, master,' and others. The replica light saber also illuminates in red."

19. Wealth doesn't guarantee taste. See Item No. 5831: A molded resin three-dimensional wall sign of Charlie Chaplin holding a directional "Toilets" sign. Suggested bid: $40 to $60.

20. Jackson likes synthetic stuff. He has eight crystal right-hand gloves on sale, all of them made of spandex.

21. Some awards are forever. Jackson has won 13 Grammy Awards. None of them are up for auction.

22. Some awards aren't. See Items No. 7717 (People's Choice Award), No. 7723 (NAACP Award), No. 7728 (MTV Award, left); No. 7733 (American Music Award), No. 7741 (Motown Award), No. 7743 (Billboard Award), and No. 7746 (Emmy Nomination Plaque).

23. Famous people like autographs. See Item No. 5102 (1966 Rose Bowl program signed by Walt Disney: $800 to $1,200), No. 5670 (autographed photo of Roddy McDowall: $100 to $150), No. 7643 (Michael Jordan-inscribed basketball: $800 to $1,200), No. 7673 (typed letter to Tom Jones signed by Walt Disney: $800 to $1,200), and No. 7825 (signed print of Marlene Dietrich: $400 to $600).

24. Jackson and Queen Elizabeth have much in common. See Item No. 7781 (ceremonial scepter), No. 7783 (full-length red velvet cape embroidered on the inside with the words: "To our father, King Michael, Father's Day, June 31, 1998, from your loving children, Prince Michael, Princess Paris." Suggested bid: $300 to $500), No. 7794 (full display suit of armor. Suggested bid: $1,000 to $1,500), and No. 7831 ("jeweled" crown on custom red velvet cushion. Suggested bid: $1,000 to $1,500).

25. On second thought, maybe not. The British Queen would probably never name her daughter Paris.

GM CEO's 2008 compensation valued at $14.9 million

DETROIT—The man who has been General Motors Corp.'s CEO for more than eight years received a pay package last year worth $14.9 million despite a $30.9 billion annual loss, a share price below $2 and a balance sheet propped up by government loans.

But don't get too angry just yet. Roughly $11.9 million of Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner's compensation was in stock and options that have plummeted in value to $682,000.

GM, which has lost $82 billion over the last three years, disclosed the figures in its annual report filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The report also said GM's auditors have serious doubts about the company's ability to keep operating, and it may have to seek bankruptcy protection if it can't execute its turnaround plan.

Wagoner's total compensation last year was 5.5 percent less than his $15.7 million package in 2007.

He received no cash incentive compensation last year, but his salary increased 35 percent from $1.6 million in 2007 because it was restored to its level before 2006, when he agreed to reduce his salary for two years as part of the company's restructuring efforts.

This year, Wagoner agreed to accept a salary of $1 as part of GM's request for government help. The Detroit-based company has received $13.4 billion in federal loans and is seeking up to $30 billion as it tries to weather the worst auto sales downturn in 27 years.

Wagoner, 55, received $2.1 million in salary last year, $836,000 in other compensation, and stock and options that the company valued at $11.9 million when they were granted in March 2008.

But 1 million options that had been valued at more than $7.1 million are now worthless because GM shares are trading well below the $23.13 price at which Wagoner could buy the shares. Other shares granted as part of long-term incentive programs also lost most of their value.

GM's stock price, which plunged 87 percent in 2008 from its level of $24.89 at the end of 2007, fell 34 cents, or 15.5 percent, to $1.86 Thursday.

An additional 4.7 million options that Wagoner received in earlier years also are worthless unless GM's stock price rises above the exercise price before the options expire. Hundreds of thousands of Wagoner's options, with exercise prices as high as $75.50, are set to expire each year through 2018.

Wagoner's compensation is fair because he received nothing based on his performance, said James E. Schrager, clinical professor of entrepreneurship and strategy at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Schrager, a Wagoner critic who says the CEO moved to slowly to shed unprofitable brands, restructure debt and cut labor costs, said Wagoner's $2.1 million cash salary is reasonable considering the size and complexity of GM.

"I've never had a beef with what he's made," Schrager said. "But I have major concern about his failure or success at the company. Is he the right guy to run GM at this time?"

David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, noted that Wagoner is the CEO, but he now has another boss: the government.

"If they don't think it's a smart thing to do, he won't do it," Cole said.

Wagoner's other compensation included $160,000 for personal use of corporate aircraft, $270,000 for personal security, $11,500 for use of company vehicles, and $12,000 for financial and estate planning.

Use of the aircraft drew the ire of many in Congress late last year when Wagoner and his counterparts at Chrysler LLC and Ford Motor Co. flew to Washington on separate corporate jets to seek government loans. When GM signed its government loan agreement Dec. 31, it agreed to get rid of the private aircraft that it had been leasing.

Wagoner, Chief Operating Officer Fritz Henderson and Chief Financial Officer Ray Young now fly first-class on commercial airlines. Other senior leadership executives fly business class for international travel and coach for domestic flights, GM said in its annual report.

The Associated Press calculations of total pay include executives' salary, bonus, incentives, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. The calculations don't include changes in the present value of pension benefits, and they sometimes differ from the totals companies list in the summary compensation table of proxy statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Associated Press Writer Ken Thomas in Washington, D.C., and AP Auto Writer Kimberly S. Johnson in Detroit contributed to this report.

Down But Not Out: From Hedge Funds to Pizza Delivery

Ken Karpman Plummeted From a Six-Figure Salary to Earning $7.29 an Hour

For the first 45 years of Ken Karpman's life, everything was close to perfect.

He graduated from UCLA with a bachelor's degree and M.B.A., then got a high-paying job as an institutional equity sales trader. He married his dream girl, had two children and traveled the world on expensive vacations.

Over the span of Karpman's impressive 20-year career as a trader, he climbed the company ladder, reaching a salary of $750,000 a year.

"Life was good, we were making a lot of money -- and why wouldn't this just continue on?" Karpman said.

From all appearances, Ken and Stephanie Karpman were living the American dream in Tampa, Fla., nestled in their 4,000-square-foot home that sits on a golf course. "I had no idea what anything cost in a store," he said. "I'd just put it in the cart and buy."

Karpman was so confident in his good fortune and the strong economy that he left his job in 2005 to start his own hedge fund. To pay for the new business and their standard of living, Karpman quickly burned through $500,000 in savings and, like so many Americans, took a line of credit against his house.

But in the reversal of fortune that followed, Karpman was unable to attract investors and was forced to dissolve his hedge fund. He found himself jobless in a job market that had collapsed.

In the past, Karpman had found it easy to get a job. It wasn't so this time around.

"When I used to go into a job interview, I probably came across as a jerk because I was like interviewing him to see whether this firm was worthy of me," he said. "Now it's kind of like you almost feel like you're coming in with your hat in your hand."

Turning to Pizza for Help

After a lengthy and fruitless job search, the Karpmans were shocked to find themselves in financial dire straits, with zero savings, hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and their home in foreclosure.

Desperate for quick cash, Karpman tried to find a job bartending but came up empty. Finally, he drove his Mercedes to Mike's Pizza & Deli Station in Clearwater and applied for a job. Mike Dodaro, the owner of the pizza shop, said he was shocked when he read his application but he offered him the job despite some reluctance to hire an over-qualified candidate.

Stephanie Karpman said she was more than a little surprised when he came home with his new job, initially saying, "You're kidding me, right?

"Delivering pizzas," she said, "Never in my wildest dreams did I think he'd be doing that."

Karpman's salary plummeted from six figures to $7.29 an hour -- plus tips -- but it's money that he's grateful to earn, even when it means delivering to neighbors or his old office building.

"This whole progression down, it's amazing how many things you say, 'I can't do' and a week later you say, 'Yeah, I could do that,'" he said. "I'm not going to make a career out of this but, until I get something that pays more, this is what I'll do to keep food on the table."

The stress has also taken a toll on their marriage. Stephanie Karpman said she didn't want her husband to leave his trader job in the first place and wishes he would have put more in savings.

"There's no question of where the fault lies," Ken Karpman said. And when it comes to finger-pointing, "I point it in my direction.

"If we didn't have to worry about the lights getting turned off, we can spend more time talking about us."

Each day has brought new lows and new lessons in living with a little less "stuff" and a lot more humility.

"The worst thing for me, for both of us probably, was, you know, to go to just friends around here, and say, 'Can I borrow some money?'" he said. "Pizza was a step up."

'I Need a Couple of Wins'

The Karpmans are now on food stamps and a tight budget that doesn't nearly cover their children's $30,000 private school tuition. But thanks to an anonymous donor, the Karpmans children's tuition has been covered through next year and they are deeply appreciative

"It's just something that kind of makes you a little misty every time you think about it, that somebody would do this for our kids," he said. "But we'll have a chance at some point to do that for another family."

The family's jet skis now collect dust in the garage near the Mercedes, with its broken transmission they cannot fix. The home they will soon lose has fallen into disrepair.

Stephanie Karpman has closets full of clothes and handbags she likely won't be able to take with her and is eyeing consignment shops as a place to unload them. She said she has found herself going through her closet and wearing clothes she hasn't touched in years.

As Karpman counts every penny he earns, he still hopes he can come back from the financial brink and reclaim a lifestyle he, like so many Americans, never imagined he could lose.

"I need a couple of wins," he said, "and I think that, hopefully, it'll mushroom up like it caved in."

It All Dies Today by Eyes Of Fire

I am left here alone in the depths I create.
The walls are all peeled back, exposing my fate. The one thing I know is I can't do the time.
As days become minutes and months fade to nights.
I don't have the will now to carry this life. It's the one fleeting moment that broke down inside.
Where do we end it? When did it begin?
I need something this time, a means to an end. It all dies today.
I'm bringing it down. Finding the way to carry this weight has broken my spirit and shattered my faith.
I'm losing myself in a dark weathered soul I'm alone in this dream and I want to let go.
When does the chance that we have in this life all fall apart and break up from inside?
It's time to break out, there is no need to explain. I need something this time, a means to an end. Kill the light.
It's all I can hope for. It ends tonight and it's what I'll be known for.

Katie's a 'Glamour' Girl

Katie Holmes hasn't had time to talk lately. Not only is she a full-time mom to 2-year-old Suri, but she recently wrapped a stint on Broadway and is now filming her new comedy, "Extra Man."

But for Glamour's 70th birthday issue, Katie sits down with Sheila Weller to explain why she's upset at the tabloids and grateful that her husband (Tom Cruise -- heard of him?) can cook.

On rumors about her relationship with Tom and speculation that Suri didn't really exist: "We were changing diapers. [Tom] said, 'I don't want you to get upset,' and I said, 'Well, I am upset.' So we approached it together. But I definitely felt like -- as a woman, as the mother of Suri -- I want to handle this! My mom is very strong, and if anyone ever said anything about any of us, she would be, 'Excuse me?' That's my family!'"

Katie's Glamour Cover Shoot - see the photos

On what Tom's really like: "He loves women; he was raised with sisters. He's strong and intelligent and very, very funny ... He's not a dreamer -- he just does it. He'll say, 'I think I like that movie,' and the next day, 'I'm going to make that movie!'

On knowing she wanted to marry Tom as a little girl: "When 'Top Gun' came out my sisters were like, 'Oh, my God, 'Top Gun!' Tom Cruise!' And I very confidently said, 'I'm going to marry him one day.' It wasn't like, 'How do I get Tom Cruise?' It was just: 'I think I'm going to marry him. Why not? He'll like me. I'm fun.'"

On a day in the life of Tom, Katie, and Suri: "We like to be together, so we use the house for our [business] meetings. [We] play Yahtzee, board games, Scrabble. We grill; have pool parties. We play 'The Three Little Pigs' and Suri is the Big Bad Wolf. [Tom] reads story books to Suri and we all laugh. When a good song comes on, hell break into dance. We'll watch movies in bed -- recently 'Madagascar' and 'Cinderella,' for Suri. We have a really good time."

Katie Holmes' Hair Evolution - see the photos

On cooking: "I don't really cook that much -- eventually I will. I do make cupcakes. And [Tom] makes his pasta carbonara for me. He knows exactly how to do it: a pinch of this, a pinch of that. He has a recipe, but he also kind of [improvises] by himself. You have to do the egg at a certain time. He did it once when we were camping."

To read Katie's full interview, including her fears about being a parent and her latest pregnancy rumors, go here. Or pick up the seventieth birthday issue of Glamour magazine, on newsstands March 11.